Drive chains such as step chains have been known for some time in the prior art. It is known here, in particular, for a chain joint of such a drive chain to comprise two inner link plates, which are connected in a rotationally fixed manner by a chain bush to form a pair of inner link plates. It is also known here for the chain bush to have a chain pin engaging through it, the chain pin connecting two outer link plates to one another to form a pair of outer link plates. A buffer roller is arranged in a movable manner here on the chain bush.
If such a drive chain is driven by means of a chain wheel, then teeth of the chain wheel engage in the interspaces present between the buffer rollers of the drive chain, wherein the buffer rollers are each temporarily in engagement with the tooth flanks of the chain wheel. It is known to be a problem here that this engagement results in an undesirable development of noise.
For noise-damping purposes, WO 2004/083679 A1 discloses the practice of arranging a damping means between the chain bush or bushing and the roller of the chain links. The damping means is intended here to absorb as far as possible the kinetic energy which is released when the chain runs into a chain wheel, and the chain rollers strike against the tooth flanks of the chain wheel, and thus to reduce the noise level.
Furthermore, DE 10 2008 002 455 A1 discloses a drive chain in which, in order to reduce the noise level, a sliding bush is arranged between the chain bush and the buffer roller, said sliding bush providing for an eccentric offset between the chain bush and the buffer roller.
Thus a need exists for an escalator step chain where the step chain has a reduced noise level and can advantageously be produced more cost-effectively, as well as an escalator with a noise level that is reduced in a cost-effective manner.